I am looking for a new OB/GYN. My 16 year old daughter has irregular periods and the doctors immediately suggest putting her on the pill. I am against the pill and other chemicals that cause various cancers. Am looking for a more "up to date" doctor who has more open opinions and is well educated about the pill and its effects plus natural hormone replacement therapy. Thanks for your help!
Go to Dr. Davis at the center for holistic medicine. He is awesome with this stuff. REALLY! The # is ###-###-####, tell him N. Gersten sent you.
Homefirst is a great practice with OBs, homebirths, pediatricians, etc. I know
there is an office in Lakeview and Naperville and I'm not sure where else.
K.,
The Pill does not cause cancer.
T.
The pill actually prevents from some cancers...
Two questions - is she overweight or underweight? Both of those could contribute to the irregular periods. Make sure she is getting proper nutrition and is maintaining a healthy weight if this is an issue. (If one is underweight, she may not have enough fat necessary for production/storage of the hormones necessary for menstruation. If overweight, she may be producing an excessive amount of estrogen which could interfere with typical menstruation). Is she an endurance athlete? If so, she may need to cut back on her training because her ovaries may not be producing a sufficient amount of estrogen)
As far as cancer is concerned, the jury seems to still be out with breast cancer. It is important to note that the highest incidences of breast cancer occurred in older women who likely had been taking the pill for several years, including "back in the day" when the amount of hormones in the pill was significantly higher. There also seems to be a link to family history of breast cancer.
However, it has been well-documented that use of the pill can significantly reduce the risk of ovarian cancer up to 50%. Additionally, there is a possibility that colorectal cancers are less likely to be developed by women who take the pill.
While it may be worth your while to investigate other options, the most important thing to discover would be the root of the issue - why isn't she regular? Has she had any bloodwork done to determine rising and falling levels of estrogen, progesterone, follicle stimulating hormone (fsh), and leutenizing hormone (lh)? If you are totally opposed to the pill, it might be worth your while to get those checked out. Most of the time it has to do with the pituitary gland not "telling" the brain and body to create and release different hormones at appropriate times to initiate and regulate the period.
